The invention relates to a method and apparatus for conveying mined material from a mine bore to a remote area along a curvilinear path. A conveyor belt is a very useful mechanism for conveying mined material since it can convey it quickly and efficiently, however when the conveyor has to make sharp turns it usually no longer is practical in many situations. It has been extremely impractical to provide continuous support for advancement of the conveyor belt with the mining head into a mine bore and at the same time provide conveyance of the material by a conveyor belt past sharp turns, utilizing simple equipment.
According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively convey, utilizing simple apparatus, mined material from a mine bore utilizing an endless conveyor belt which is continuously supported by articulated wheeled cars which can be advanced into the bore following the mining head. That is according to the present invention it is possible to provide effective mining utilizing a conveyor belt as a transporting mechanism, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,120,535 and 5,056,655 (the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein) even when there are sharp turns in the path between the mine bore and an area remote from the mine bore.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of transporting mined material from a mine bore utilizing an endless belt conveyor, a plurality of articulated wheeled cars for supporting the conveyor belt, and a belt unloader, is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Pulling a string of the articulated wheeled cars, supporting the endless conveyor belt, into the mine bore, along a generally straight first path from an area remote from the mine bore, then making a sharp turn, and then into the mine bore through the mine bore mouth along a straight second path making an angle of greater than about 90.degree. and less than about 180.degree. with respect to the first path. (b) Operating the conveyor belt so that it continuously moves between a mining area within the mine bore, and the remote area. (c) Continuously conveying mined material from the mine bore with the conveyor belt along the second path to the bore mouth. (d) Moving the mined material off of the conveyor belt adjacent the mine mouth to convey it in a third straight path making an angle of greater than about 90.degree. and less than about 180.degree. with respect to the second path, so that when the conveyor belt makes the sharp turn it is not conveying mined material. And, (e) accommodating lengthening of the second path, as necessary, by adding wheeled cars to the string of cars at the remote area.
Steps (a)-(e) are preferably practiced by positioning wheeled cars in the string at the sharp turn so that successive cars are positioned so as to gradually change from a first position in which the belt is disposed horizontally, to a second position in which the belt is disposed vertically, into a third position in which the belt is again disposed horizontally. Step (d) is also preferably practiced by providing a vertical plate with a flexible bottom edge disposed in a plane parallel to or coincident with the third path above the conveyor belt, so that as mined material engages the belt under the force of conveyance it is deflected off the belt, by the vertical plate, into the third path. Preferably the first and third straight paths are parallel to each other.
The invention also comprises an apparatus for conveying mined material from a mine bore to a remote area, distinct from the mine bore, along a first path and a second path, a sharp turn connecting the paths. The apparatus comprises the following elements: An endless conveyor belt having a conveying portion, and a return portion, the conveying and return portions constantly changing during movement of the conveyor belt. Means for driving the endless conveyor belt so that the conveying portion thereof moves to convey mined material supported thereon. A plurality of wheeled cars, each car having an upper plurality of rollers for supporting the conveying portion of the endless conveyor belt, and a lower plurality of rollers for supporting the return portion of the conveyor belt. Means for positioning some cars at the sharp turn so as to turn the conveying portion of the conveyor belt from a generally horizontal position, to a generally vertical position, and back to a generally horizontal position. And, means for moving mined material off the conveyor belt conveying portion at a location between the sharp turn and the mine bore.
Preferably the cars have at least two wheels rotatable about an axis, and at least some of the wheeled cars comprise a pair of side frame members, and means for pivotally connecting the frame members together for rotation about an axis parallel to the wheel axis. At least some of the wheeled cars have front and rear end frame members with coupling elements extending outwardly from them, the coupling elements on adjacent cars engaging each other to provide for relative pivotal movement of coupled cars about both horizontal and vertical axes. The means for positioning some cars at the sharp turn preferably comprises a ramp for engaging the wheels of the cars, the ramp contoured so that it extends from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position and back to a generally horizontal position, and a plurality of positioning rollers mounted in cooperating spaced relationship with the ramp for engaging the conveyor belt at the wheeled car so as to facilitate guiding movement of the conveyor belt, in contact with the cars, at the sharp turn.
The means for moving mined material off the conveyor belt preferably comprises a stationary generally vertical plate extending at an angle with respect to the moving conveyor of about 90.degree.-180.degree., and having a flexible material bottom edge; and means for mounting the plate above the conveying portion of the conveying belt between the mine bore mouth and the sharp turn for engaging mined material on the belt and deflecting it to another path generally parallel to or coincident with the generally vertical plate. A bridge conveyor and a conveyance mechanism distinct from the conveyor belt are also preferably provided, the conveyance mechanism extending from the bridge conveyor toward the remote area, and the bridge conveyor extending between the conveyor belt at the generally vertical plate and the conveyance mechanism.
According to the another aspect of the present invention a conveyor belt supporting car is provided. The car comprises: A frame having first and second side elements, a front element, and a rear element. First and second sets of wheels. Means defining a first axis for rotation of the first set of wheels, and a second axis for rotation of the second set of wheels, the first and second axes parallel to each other and spaced from each other along the side frame elements. Means defining a pivotal connection between the first and second side elements so that the elements may pivot with respect to each other about a third axis parallel to the first and second axes. First and second sets of rollers extending upwardly from the frame elements, one associated with each of the first and second frame elements, the rollers rotatable about axes generally parallel to the first and second axes. And, third and fourth sets of rollers extending downwardly from the frame elements, one associated with each of the first and second frame elements. The car also preferably comprises coupling elements, including a first coupling element extending outwardly from the front frame element, and a second coupling element extending outwardly from the rear frame element. The first and second coupling elements constructed so that when first and second coupling elements of adjacent cars are connected together, the cars are pivotally movable with respect to each other about perpendicular horizontal axes.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the simple and effective conveyance of mined material with a conveyor belt even through sharp turns. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.